Cats read, cats review

cozy mystery

From the back of the book, “It’s autumn down south, and An’gel and Dickce Ducote are in Natchez, Mississippi, at the request of Mary Turner Catlin, the granddaughter of an old friend. Mary and her husband, Henry Howard, live in Cliffwood, one of the beautiful antebellum homes for which Natchez is famous.

“Odd things have been happening in the house for years, and the French room in particular has become the focal point for spooky sensations. The Ducotes suspect the ghostly goings-on are caused by the living, but when a relative of the Catlins is found dead in the room, An’gel and Dickce must sift through a haunted family history to catch a killer.”

Another great cozy mystery by Miranda James! I love to follow these two ‘ladies of a certain age’ as they solve another murder mystery. This one involves crazy family members and maybe a ghost or two! They’re very genteel and lady-like in their ways but are able to overlook (with some disgust) the rude behavior of the younger generation around them. The suspect I had in mind turned out to be the killer but the ghost – well, that was a definite surprise!! My only disappointment is that I have to wait months and months for the next installment!

Rating 4 out of 5 paws for a good mystery that the reader has a ghost of a chance solving!!

From the back of the book, “After learning that she comes from a family of witches—and adopting a familiar named Alistair—artist Annabelle Briton has made beautiful Portsmouth, New Hampshire, her home. Together with her coven, this good witch is trying to put a stop to magic and murder most foul.

“When Anna takes Alistair to see local veterinarian Ramona Forsythe, they meet the most famous cat in town: Ruby the Attitude Cat, spokes-feline for a pet food brand. But then Ramona turns up dead and Ruby goes missing. It seems like the murderer used magical means, so it’s up to Anna and Alistair to catch a killer and cat-napper as only a canny cat can.”

I’m really enjoying this series of books. I don’t mind the witchcraft – its presence in the story is minimal and the witches are always working for good and not evil. The star of the story is of course, Alistair, a thoroughly magical cat that can appear and disappear at will (I would love to know how to do that!). He is very important in solving the mystery, despite Anna’s frustration that he won’t do things her way. He’s a cat, after all! The mystery is totally engaging and I didn’t guess the murderer at all! The only thing negative I have is, that like the other two books, as soon as the mystery is solved, everything jumps ahead several weeks as the author is wrapping up the book. It’s a little too fast for me – after the slower pace of the story, the rapidity of the wrap-up is just too much. Slow it down, Delia! Let me savor saying goodbye to Anna and Alistair until the next book!!! I’m going to miss them!

From the dust jacket: “Lacy Marie Crocker has settled into a comfortable grove back home in New Orleans, and with Valentine’s Day right around the corner, she’s busier than ever running a thriving pet boutique, helping her mother organize the upcoming National Pet Pageant, and untangling her complicated love life. but when delivering a king-sized order of dreidel-shaped doggy biscuits for a Saint Berdoodle’s Bark-Mitzvah, Lacy stumbles into yet another murder scene—and the last person to see the victim alive was her own father.

“It’s up to Lacy to clear her dad’s name from the suspect list before Detective Jack Oliver has to cage him for good. But just when she starts pawing at the truth, she receives a threatening letter from a mysterious blackmailer bent on silencing her with her own secrets. And Lacy’s not the only one with bones in her closet.”

More fun pet fashion and mystery! I liked this book as much as the previous two (and I only saw one spelling error, so the editor is getting better, too!). I did end up guessing who the murder was – but only just before Lacy did so I think that’s a pretty good mystery. The books are all well written with seamless plot twists and fast paced enough to keep me reading when I should’ve have taken a nap or groomed myself. I hope the author writes more soon!!!

Rating: 4 out of 5 paws – There’s three recipes included and the tuna tart sounds the best. I’ve never been to New Orleans but I bet it would be fun – I’d especially like to see the Garden District and Magazine Street, which is where the fictional Furry Godmother Pet Boutique is.

From the dust jacket, “Lacy Marie Crocker’s whimsical pet couture has gained a following in New Orleans’s cozy Garden District, and word of mouth has traveled all the way to her favorite fashion designer, Annie Lane. Lacy’s thrilled when Annie schedules a private session at her home to discuss a companion line for her evening wear, but when Lacy arrives for the appointment, she enters the kitchen to two mewling Siamese cats—and one very dead Annie.

“Lacy takes the kittens home to care for them until they can be properly claimed by Annie’s family or friends, but after a busy day of work, she returns home to find them missing. And when Lacy learns the cats are set to inherit Annie’s fortune, she begins to wonder if the killer was after the kittens all along. Now Lacy will stop at nothing to save the Siamese and find justice for Annie—if the killer doesn’t sink his claws into her first.

“Luckily, Lacy has the help of handsome NOLA PD homicide detective Jack Oliver to help her catch the cat-napper before it’s too late in Cat Got Your Cash, the endearing second Kitty Couture mystery from Julie Chase.”

I completely enjoyed this second Kitty Couture mystery – it was so good I spent most of yesterday reading instead of doing what any respectable cat should be doing (napping, grooming, napping). In addition to the initial murder, Lacy uncovers another crime going on; gets abducted; her cat, Penelope, goes missing; and she can’t make up her mind about the two handsome men in her life, Jack and Chase. Mix in a little New Orleans atmosphere and magic, and you’ve got yourself a fun and exciting mystery!

Rating 4 out of 5 paws; aside from a few spelling errors I found, this book is all good fun!!!

From the dust jacket, “Grandeur and opulence are everything in the famed New Orleans Garden District, where pets are family and no bling is too big. Opening Furry Godmother, pet boutique and organic treat bakery, is Lacy Marie Crocker’s dream come true. After returning home following a nasty breakup with her (now ex) fiancé Pete the Cheat, it’s exactly the fresh start she needs, despite her old money mother’s disapproval.

“Full of peanut butter pupcakes and bacon-infused pawlines, and displaying sparkly Shih Tzu tutus and swanky cat headscarves, Lacy’s pink-and-green, chandeliered shop is a pet lover’s paradise. That is, until a man attacks her in her shop only to turn up dead the next morning – with her glitter gun as the murder weapon. And Lacy becomes public enemy #1.

“Now handsome yet dogged Detective Jack Oliver is hounding her, her business investor wants out before his name is tarnished by association and a string of jewel heist has locals on edge. To save her dream, Lacy must make a stand, put her keen eyes to work, and unravel what really happened at her shop that night. But can she sniff out the killer in time to get her tail-raising designs on the catwalk?”

This was a fun book to read even though it’s a formulaic cozy mystery. I consider books like this a day at the beach for the brain – they’re relaxing and easy to read after taxing day at work or reading what I call a heavy or thought-provoking book. There’s a beautiful woman who has turned to sleuthing to prove her innocence, the dashing male detective who thinks she’s guilty at first, and an odd assortment of family and friends who come to her aide. The only thing missing in this first book is a four-legged companion!

Rating 4 out of 5 paws – the lush New Orleans atmosphere is palpable; the mystery is nicely twisted and the solution was a total surprise! Plus, there’s recipes for Pupcakes, Pawlines, and Tiny Tuna Tarts in the back of the book that sound really good – especially the tarts because, well, it’s got tuna!! Get your human to make you some snacks, then sit back, read and enjoy!!